NZ software could have saved Transit NZ

Transit NZ embarrassment and Kapiti Coast resident outrage through the accidental release of “secret” sensitive information could have been avoided through the use of easily-obtainable, economic Wellington software.

The outrage occurred when Kapiti Coast residents learned through “a technical glitch” that about 40 homes, numerous businesses and possibly a school might have to be demolished to make way for a proposed $730 million upgraded coastal highway.

The so-called technical glitch meant that blacked-out sections in online versions of a consultant's report issued by Transit and Greater Wellington Regional Council last month were revealed when copied into a word file.

The fact that the NZ-created software could have easily prevented the embarrassment was disclosed today by the principal of Wellington-based Onstream Systems Ltd, David Kelly. He said the unique software, RapidRedact™, launched last year in NZ, Australia, UK and the United States, provided a foolproof, failsafe method of “censoring or redacting sensitive information from documents before publication.”

Sold worldwide it is the first software which allows publishers of electronic information in any Windows-based document to economically and rapidly prevent the accidental leakage of sensitive data.The company has already sold the software to a US Fortune 500 insurance company with 40,000 employees as well as various US Government organisations, both military and civilian.

At the time of the launch, he said, the software should prove a boon for Government organisations, legal firms and businesses forced to publish electronic information they hold, without infringing privacy legislation and other reporting compliance obligations.

Noting that documents, that are stored and passed on electronically, carry with them hidden data often including every text change and annotation from the time of first creation, he said RapidRedact provided a fast, simple method of ‘blotting out’ these allowing the documents to be published with only the relevant data accessible.

“It enables a user to create censored or redacted copies of any electronic document and then produce a 100% accurate image rendition,” he said. “RapidRedact ensures the reporting and disclosure of essential information only.”

Developed initially as a Microsoft Windows® plug-in, RapidRedact can be integrated with any application that has a print function.

Onstream Systems is seeking a number of worldwide patents on the software.

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For further information contact:
Janice Roth
Marketing Manager
Ph:    +64 4 473-1711
Fax:   +64 4 473-1712
Mob:  +64 21 1010 387
Web: www.rapidredact.com
Web: www.onstreamsystems.com
9 Mairangi Road, PO Box 3536, Wellington, NZ